Music box

ABSTRACT

A music box including a housing having a musical comb mounted therein. Rigid cards having protuberances on one face are mechanically driven along a guide surface so as to pass under and pluck the tines of the comb. The comb may be mounted to the interior of a bell.

United States Patent 1 Langieri, Jr.

[ MUSIC BOX [75] Inventor: Michael Langieri, Jr., Little Falls,

[73] Assignee: Questor Corporation, Toledo Ohio [22] Filed: Feb. 16, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 226,873

[52] US. Cl. .3 84/101 [51] Int. Cl. G101 1/06 [58] Field of Search ..84/94l0l [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 315,774 4/1885 l-lakins. 84/94 369,258 8/ 1887 'Paillard et a]. 84/94 2,487,138 11/1949 Howe .l ..84/94 [111 3,740,447 1 June 19, 1973 2,880,640 4/1959 Chaplar 84/95 3,186,286 6/1965 Swensson 84/101 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 7 36,540 4/1914 Sweden 84/94 1,256,695 2/1961 France 84/101 Primary Exarfiiner-Richard B. Wilkinson Assistant ExaminerLawrence R. Franklin Attorn e'yDon'ald R. Bahr [57] ABSTRACT A music box including a housing having a musical comb mounted therein. Rigid cards having protuberances on one face are mechanically driven along a guide surface so as to pass under and pluck the tines of the comb. The comb may be mounted to the interior of a bell.

7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures MUSIC BOX This invention relates generally to music boxes and more specifically to music boxes having various separate tone control plate structures for use in conjunction therewith. I

The normal music box in use today, and particularly those used in the toy field, has a specifically designed metal comb for each song to be played. This is done primarily to reduce the cost of the item as it is used.

Additionally, most music boxes depend on the use of a rotating drum or cylindrical unit which mates with the designed metal comb for continually playing the same song. I I

As the songs are selected in this type of music box,

they must be so designed so that the same note is not dampen the still vibrating tine causing an unpleasant sound.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a music box having a musical comb which plays various tunes dependent only upon an associated rigid plastic card and the protuberances extending therefrom.

A further object of the invention is to partially encompass the musical comb with a bell to which the comb is mounted so as to increase the amplitude of sound of the musical device.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a simple music box having a musical comb which is tuned so as to have a double musical scale with all of the tines of the comb in line.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein FIG. I is a perspective view of one type of general housing used with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a typical rigid plate used in conjunction with the musical comb;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along lines 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 isa sectional view taken along the lines 44 of FIG. I; and I FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the lines 5-5 of FIG. 4.

Broadly speaking, the present invention comprises a music box primarily for use with childrens toys having a housing and musical comb mounted within said housing. Also within the housing is provided guide means adjacent to the tines of the musical comb. A rigid card, having protuberances extending therefrom in a predetermined arrangement, is mechanically moved adjacent to and passed along said guide means so that the protuberances on the card pluck the tines and produce a tune. The card then passes beyond the tines and outwardly through the housing.

Turning now more particularly to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 a housing 11 which contains the musical device of the present invention. This basic housing is designed so that it may be placed within a childs toy such as truck 13 partially shown in dashed lines.

A wheel 15 extends outwardly from the housing 11 and is mounted on axle 17 whereby the wheel may be manually turned by means such as knob 19.

As shown in FIG. 2, a rigid card 21 is provided on one face thereof with a series of protuberances 23. These protuberances are arranged in a predetermined order so as to produce a desired tune as will become evident as the description proceeds. The card also has a series of teeth 25 on one edge thereof which extend along the complete edge of the card so as to form a rack.

The card may also be provided with extending guide rails 27' and 29 which may mate with an exterior guide means that may be in the top of the toy (not shown).

Although the bottom of the card may be solid, the preferred configuration provides a lip 30 around the outer edge thereof. A slot 31 is provided in the lip at either end thereof and mates with a rail 33, FIG. 1, on

an inclined surface 34.

Turning now to FIG. 3, it may be seen that the axle 17 terminates at its inner end in a gear 35 having a relatively small diameter. Gear 35 meshes and drives gear 37 which is of a relatively large diameter. This produces a gear reduction system so as to provide the proper speed for driving the card 21 through the housing 11.

Gear 37 rotates about axle 39 which passes through the housing and is supported by pin 40. Axle 39 terminates at its inner end in a pinion 41 which meshes with the teeth 25 so as to drive the rack of the card 21 as may be seen more clearly from FIG. 4.

As seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, a musical comb 47 is mounted at the lower end of the inclined surface 43 which positions the comb in proper relationship so that the tines may be plucked by the protuberances 23 as the card is driven along surface 34.

Although the comb itself will provide the necessary musical sound, since it is normally enclosed within a toy, it is desirable to increase the sound in a manner such that it may be heard clearly and distinctly. The present invention provides such an amplification by means of a bell 45 which may be made of material such as cast zinc. The bell may take various shapes but the particular shape as shown in the drawings is found to be preferrable. This geometrical shape, in effect, substantially conforms to the contour of the tines.

By mounting the comb on the bell, and with this combination of comb and bell being mounted on the inclined surface 34, there is created, through sympathetic vibrations, a volume of sound far superior to that which would be provided by the musical comb alone.

The comb is also provided with a sufficient number of tines so that it is tuned so as to have a double musical scale. This could be accomplished in a number of ways, one of which would be to have two identical tines of the same length for each tone. However, it has been found to be preferrable for manufacturing purposes to machine the tines so as to vary the thickness slightly as they proceed in line whereby the same tone may be acquired with adjacent tines even though they are of different lengths. This particular thickness variation is very slight and has not been shown in the drawings.

Since the comb is provided with a double scale, each card can be designed with protuberances so as to play any tune. If the comb should only have a single scale, then it is highly undesirable to provide a tune which requires that the same note be hit successively. The reason for this is that the same tine cannot be struck in direct succession since the second strike dampens the still vibrating tine and causes an unpleasant sound.

However, since there is a double scale, the plucking or striking of the tines is alternated so that the first tine may come to rest before being restruck or plucked.

The card is preferrably of a cast plastic nature and is relatively inexpensive and simple to manufacture. Such a card provides an easy method of having different tunes using the same musical comb.

The above description and drawings are illustrative only since various modifications could be made without departing from the basic concept of the invention. Ac-

I cordingly, the invention is to be limited only by the yond said comb so that said protuberances pluck said free ends of said said tines.

2. The music box of claim 1 further comprising means within said housing for guiding the movement of said rigid card relative to the free ends of said tines.

3. The music box of claim 1 wherein said bell is made of cast zinc.

4. The music box of claim 1 wherein the geometrical shape of said bell substantially conforms to the contour of said tines.

5. The music box of claim 1 wherein said mechanical means for moving said card comprises a rack on one edge of said card, and

a pinion mating with and driving said rack.

6. The music box of claim 5 further comprising reduction gearing coupled to said pinion, and manual means for driving said reduction gearing.

7. The music box of claim 1 wherein said musical comb is tuned so as to have a double musical scale. 

1. A music box for toys comprising a housing, a bell mounted within said housing, a musical comb including a plurality of tines mounted within said bell, the free ends of said tines extending outwardly from said bell; a rigid card, protuberances extending from one face of said card in a predetermined arrangement, and mechanical means for moving said card along and beyond said comb so that said protuberances pluck said free ends of said said tines.
 2. The music box of claim 1 further comprising means within said housing for guiding the movement of said rigid card relative to the free ends of said tines.
 3. The music box of claim 1 wherein said bell is made of cast zinc.
 4. The music box of claim 1 wherein the geometrical shape of said bell substantially conforms to the contour of said tines.
 5. The music box of claim 1 wherein said mechanical means for moving said card comprises a rack on one edge of said card, and a pinion mating with and driving said rack.
 6. The music box of claim 5 further comprising reduction gearing coupled to said pinion, and manual means for driving said reduction gearing.
 7. The music box of claim 1 wherein said musical comb is tuned so as to have a double musical scale. 